Will never forget the welcome that I received after World Cup, says Shafali Verma

India’s run to the final of the Women’s T20 showdown Down Under was largely down to their spinners and the role played at the top by Shafali. In fact, it was the lack of any other batsman around the teenage sensation getting runs that proved too costly for the Women in Blue in the final on March 8. On her return, however, she was given a rousing reception for all her efforts.

“I will never forget the welcome that I received at my home in Rohtak. There were dhols and music. My relatives received me with garlands and I felt pretty special. It was like a dream after a special tournament,” Verma wrote in her column for Hindustan Times. 

The 16-year-old was hoping to get back on the field as soon as she had recovered from a strain in her right leg — and a class 10 board exam. However, with the coronavirus outbreak, Shafali has been confined to resting at home. 

“I was eager to get back on the field, but now that is not possible due to the coronavirus outbreak. I was in the middle of my class 10 board exams when the Haryana government postponed it as a precaution in the fight against coronavirus. My cricket practice has also come to a halt. However, I had a strain in my right leg during the T20 World Cup and I am using this time to recover fully,” she said.

With the pandemic now having claimed at least 12,000 lives and infected more than 300,000 people worldwide, everyone’s on alert. But a cricketer’s gotta do what is necessary — even if that means shadow training.

“My cricket academy is closed for training but I still go there in the morning for running and other exercises. But in times like these, taking care of one’s health is the primary concern. I am following the motto too. I often shadow practice at home with a tennis ball. For a batswoman, it’s essential to maintain the rhythm and touch. It’s very important that I don’t get rusty. Nothing can substitute playing an actual game but one has to make the best out of a situation,” Shafali added.